Together for Christmas
by mrsaturn123
Summary: It's Christmas time in Snowman and Ana's got a letter from Ninten saying he's visiting. But it's Christmas Eve and it's already really late. Where is he? NintenxAna oneshot...it's kinda corny but whatever.


Christmas in Snowman

Snow drifted silently through the chilly winter air, settling in thick blankets of white on the frozen ground outside. It was Christmas Eve in the small town of Snowman, and the anticipation of the townsfolk was so much you could practically feel it the moment you stepped into town. Christmas was a favorite holiday amongst the citizens of Snowman. Everyone got in the spirit, putting up lights, decoration, playing Christmas music, going Christmas shopping in Reindeer (the neighboring city and closest place to shop). However, there was one girl who wasn't in the Christmas spirit right now this year.

Ana sat at the window of her room watching the snowfall. She looked down at the green envelope she held in her right hand and sighed. It was the first Christmas since she returned home from her adventures and she had finally gotten a letter from her friends. Carefully she re-opened the envelope and carefully read over again the letter inside…

_Dear Ana,_

_It's almost Christmas and we haven't seen eachother in a long while. I miss traveling with you, Loid and Teddy. So I'm coming to visit on Christmas Eve if that's all right with you. I got you a little something too. Hopefully I can get the other two to come as well. Teddy will probably need a lot of convincing, ha ha. So yeah, I'll see you Christmas Eve!_

_-Ninten_

Letting out another heavy sigh, she folded the letter up and put it neatly back in the envelope. Ninten was her closest friend and she had been looking forward to seeing him ever since she read the letter two days ago. She was so happy to hear from him again after all this time too. But it was Christmas Eve today and it was getting late, yet he still hadn't arrived.

"Ana?"

Quickly she turned around to see her mother standing behind her, looking a bit concerned.

"What's the matter sweetie? You look upset," she asked sounding worried.

"Nothing mom…" Ana replied, her tone lacking much confidence in her own answer.

"Ana…you've been staring out that window most of the day. _Something's_ got to be bothering you. You never act like this, especially around Christmas…"

Ana looked out the window again before replying. "Yeah okay…I got a letter a few days ago from Ninten. You remember him right?"

Her mother nodded, remembering how he helped save everyone.

"Well, the letter he sent said he'd visit me today…but he still isn't here…"

"Oh Ana…" her mother sat next to her and placed her arm around her comfortingly ", I'm sure he'll show up. Maybe something just held him up. Christmas is a busy time you know."

"Yeah…maybe…"

"Well, just don't worry too much please," Ana's mother kissed her on the head ", I hate seeing you like this…"

……….

A few hours passed and Ana was still sitting in the same spot. She hadn't heard a single word of Ninten still and grew even more worried and sad. Why would he send her a letter telling her he'd visit then just not show up? On the most special day of the year too. It wasn't like him. Ninten was a kind person who cared strongly for his friends, especially her

_Ninten…where are you?_

Suddenly she grew even more anxious, thinking about all the possibilities. What if something terrible happened to him? There are silver wolves that roam the woods outside of Snowman. What if he got attacked? What if he was hurt? There was no way she could forgive herself if she just let him get hurt.

She could no longer bear the thought of it any longer, and checked the large grandfather clock behind her. The time was now eight thirty PM and there was still no word from him. Quickly she stood up and grabbed her coat, hat and mittens. She started toward the door, but stopped short when she heard someone say…

"Ana? Where do you think you're going?"

Ana turned around slowly to face her father. He was very protective of Ana, which wasn't a good thing at this point. Going out this late at night, this time of the year was dangerous.

"I need to find Ninten…" she answered, absent-mindedly and sounding a bit scared.

"Huh? I'm not sure what you mean by that but it's dark out and you could catch a cold…" he tried to warn her.

"I don't care daddy! I need to find him! What if he's hurt!?"

"Ana, it's dangerous out this late at night! I won't let you!"

"But he's my friend daddy…I'm worried about him…"

"I know Ana…but he'll be alright," he hugged her close, calming her down ", He did save us after all."

"Yeah…I know…"

……….

Ana had been sent up to her room to get some sleep. It was now nine PM but she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of Ninten being attacked by those wolves would pop into her mind…or the image of him getting lost in the woods…or maybe…

That settled it. She just couldn't take it. Not caring at all for what her father said, she grabbed some blankets and tied them together creating a makeshift rope. Swiftly she tied it to the leg of her bed and opened up the window. She put on as much snow gear she could find in her room and climbed down the wall of the church they lived in. Being careful not to get caught in the light of the windows below, she dashed off into the night and back towards town.

It was far colder out then Ana had thought it would be. The wind blew harshly and it felt like hundreds of tiny, icy, needles poking at the exposed skin of her face. She could barely feel anything in her toes aside from the soft crunching of the fresh snow under her boots. Her nose was running really bad due to the freezing temperature and she had to rely on breathing through her mouth completely aside from the occasional sniffle. However, she ignored the cold and pressed on, her mind on one thing and one thing only…

"Dear God, please keep Ninten safe…" she continuously prayed ", please…"

It almost seemed as if an hour had passed in what was really only ten minutes at the most, and she was growing exhausted. She had made it past town and was on her way to the train station but it was still a long walk, and it must have been at least five to ten degrees below zero. The cold was finally getting to her too but she was so close to the station, she thought, that it could only be a few more minutes of walking. She pictured herself walking into the most likely heated train station. She pictured every part of the room perfectly; almost as if it was real and she could just reach out in her mind and touch something and it would be there. She pictured seeing Ninten just getting off the train and smiling at her. She pictured herself embracing him, and feeling relief flow over her like a tidal wave just knowing he was safe.

Her eyes shot open suddenly. She had nearly fallen asleep where she was. Hypothermia was starting to kick in it seemed. Completely exhausted and feeling as though she could no longer continue, she sat down at the base of a nearby tree and stared off into the slowly drifting snow. It was mesmerizing, watching thousands of white specks gently float down towards the ground and merging with the thick white layer that was already present. It was so mesmerizing just watching the snowflakes dance in the air that she hadn't noticed something.

A loud howl woke her from her trance. Her eyes darted all about, picking up several pure-white, formless shapes closing in around her. It was dark and she was so tired that it was hard to pick out what they were until she noticed the pairs of seemingly glowing, yellow eyes.

"N-no…please don't…" she pleaded, now realizing what it was. A pack of silver wolves had surrounded her, and they looked rather hungry. She felt her fear rising and tears started to well up as the wolves growled and snarled at her angrily. She wanted so badly to scream for help but she lacked the strength to get out even a yell that would probably hardly be lost in the harsh winds. She remembered she had PSI*, but there was no way she could concentrate enough to even create the smallest spark of fire. They started to make there way toward her, closing in on there helpless prey and she heard herself say ", Ninten…please save me…"

Miraculously just as she spoke those words, about half of the pack suddenly stood perfectly still and rigid, unable to move a single muscle. In the next instant, a boy jumped out of the darkness and struck the paralyzed wolves with an aluminum baseball bat. Another nearby wolf was suddenly electrocuted by what appeared to be a second boy, and one other wolf was punched right in the nose. In all the excitement and from her own fatigue, Ana blacked out and fell back into the cold snow.

……….

Slowly Ana's eyes opened. She could see someone's face right in front of hers but she couldn't make out whom it belonged too. She heard a voice as well that kept repeating her name over and over, sounding concerned. She recognized the face and the voice…but she just couldn't place it. Somehow it was comforting though. Her eyes began to adjust to the light and she saw the face of a boy about her age wearing a baseball cap sideways and a red bandana around his neck.

"Ana?" he called her name again, with tension in his voice most likely from worrying about her ", Are you okay?"

"Calm down, I'm sure she's fine," another older voice groaned.

"Teddy! Geeze don't you care at all?" a third voice scolded, sounding about her age as well.

"N-Ninten?" Ana finally managed to speak, finally realizing whom it was that was holding her.

"Ana!" Ninten gathered her close to him ", I'm so glad you're okay!"

Ana could feel herself blushing lightly as she returned the hug. She looked past Ninten and noticed that they were now inside the train station. She must've been closer then she thought. Also there were Loid, who fixed his glasses and waved shyly at her, and Teddy, who was leaning against the back wall with his buff arms folded across his chest. It didn't really matter that they were there though, she was just so happy to be with Ninten.

"I-I'm sorry Ninten…" she apologized, her voice shaky and on the edge of tears "…I was looking for you…I thought something might've happened to you…"

"Oh man, I'm the one who should be sorry Ana. I made you wait so long for me…we got really held up due to the weather and such," Ninten returned her apology, sounding a bit ashamed.

"It doesn't matter anymore Ninten," she smiled at him ", I'm just glad you're okay…" Ana hugged him tighter, feeling like she would cry any second.

The two sat like that together for several minutes, holding the eachother close. Both of them were so relieved that the other was safe and just so happy to finally be together again.

"Hey uh…not to interrupt this tender moment," Teddy blurted out, breaking the silence ", but we need to get Ana home before her parents start freaking out more then they already are. So hurry it up."

"Yeah, it _is_ like almost ten," Loid added.

"Oh yeah! Man, my parents must be so worried," Ana jumped to her feet, dreading what her parents were going to say when she got home.

"Right…but first Ana," Ninten stopped her ", I got you something." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box wrapped in red and green wrapping paper. She remembered in the letter that he mentioned a gift for her and suddenly felt bad for not getting him anything yet.

"Go on, open it," he urged her on.

She slowly tore at the paper until the tiny cardboard box was unwrapped completely. She pulled the flaps of the box open and reached inside, pulling out a familiar little plant. She turned it around in her hands a few times then looked up at Ninten.

"I-is this…?" she started to ask but was interrupted when Ninten leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Completely caught off guard, she could feel her cheeks burning and could see his face was also tinged red. It felt a bit awkward at first because of Teddy and Loid being right behind them, but a few moments more into the kiss and she didn't want to let him go.

He slowly leaned back away from her again and whispered to her…

"Merry Christmas Ana."


End file.
